The Cinema of the Coen Brothers: Hard-Boiled Entertainments (Directors' Cuts)

The films of the Coen brothers have become a contemporary cultural phenomenon. Highly acclaimed and commercially successful, over the years their movies have attracted increasingly larger audiences and spawned a subculture of dedicated fans. Shunning fame and celebrity, Ethan and Joel Coen remain maverick filmmakers, producing and directing independent films outside the Hollywood mainstream in a unique style combining classic genres like film noir with black comedy to tell off-beat stories about America and the American Dream. This study surveys Oscar-winning films, such as __Fargo__ (1996) and __No Country for Old Men__ (2007), as well as cult favorites, including __O Brother, Where Art Thou?__ (2000) and __The Big Lebowski__ (1998). Beginning with __Blood Simple__ (1984), it examines major themes and generic constructs and offers diverse approaches to the Coens' enigmatic films. Pointing to the pulp fiction of Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, and Raymond Chandler, the study appreciates the postmodern aesthetics of the Coens' intertextual creativity. The Films Of The Coen Brothers Have Become A Contemporary Cultural Phenomenon. Highly Acclaimed And Commercially Successful, Over The Years Their Movies Have Attracted Increasingly Larger Audiences And Spawned A Subculture Of Dedicated Fans. Shunning Fame And Celebrity, Ethan And Joel Coen Remain Maverick Filmmakers, Producing And Directing Independent Films Outside The Hollywood Mainstream In A Unique Style Combining Classic Genres Like Film Noir With Black Comedy To Tell Off-beat Stories About America And The American Dream. This Study Surveys Oscar-winning Films, Such As Fargo (1996) And No Country For Old Men (2007), As Well As Cult Favorites, Including O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) And The Big Lebowski (1998). Beginning With Blood Simple (1984), It Examines Major Themes And Generic Constructs And Offers Diverse Approaches To The Coens' Enigmatic Films.-- Blood Simple: 'it's The Same Old Song' -- Raising Arizona: A State Of Mind -- Miller's Crossing: 'a Handsome Movie About Men In Hats' -- Barton Fink: 'for The Common Man' -- The Hudsucker Proxy: A Comedy Of Reinvention -- Fargo: In The Land Of Tall Tales -- The Big Lebowski: 'the Dude Abides' -- O Brother Where Art Thou?: The Hayseed Epic -- The Man Who Wasn't There: Recreating Classic Film Noir -- No Country For Old Men: Darkness In The New West -- A Serious Man: Parable And Paradox -- Conclusion: The Ends Of The Auteur -- Drawing Conclusions About Coen Brothers Movies. Jeffrey Adams. A Wallflower Press Book. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The films of the Coen brothers have become a contemporary cultural phenomenon. Highly acclaimed and commercially successful, over the years their movies have attracted increasingly larger audiences and spawned a subculture of dedicated fans. Shunning fame and celebrity, Ethan and Joel Coen remain maverick filmmakers, producing and directing independent films outside the Hollywood mainstream in a unique style combining classic genres like film noir with black comedy to tell off-beat stories about America and the American Dream. This volume provides an overview of Academy Award-winners and cult favorites alike, examining the development of the Coen's body of work by identifying and analyzing major themes and generic constructs, and offering diverse interpretative approaches to their enigmatic films. Drawing on a wide array of sources, especially the pulp fiction of Dashiell Hammet, James M. Cain and Raymond Chandler, it examines the influence of these literary sources as well as key cinematic precursors to reveal how the Coens' intertextual creativity exemplifies the aesthetics of postmodernism "The films of the Coen brothers have become a contemporary cultural phenomenon. Highly acclaimed and commercially successful, over the years their movies have attracted increasingly larger audiences and spawned a subculture of dedicated fans. Shunning fame and celebrity, Ethan and Joel Coen remain maverick filmmakers, producing and directing independent films outside the Hollywood mainstream in a unique style combining classic genres like film noir with black comedy to tell off-beat stories about America and the American Dream. This study surveys Oscar-winning films, such as "Fargo" (1996) and "No Country for Old Men" (2007), as well as cult favourites, including "O Brother, Where Art Thou? "(2000) and "The Big Lebowski" (1998). Beginning with "Blood Simple" (1984), it examines major themes and generic constructs and offers diverse approaches to the Coens' enigmatic films. Pointing to the pulp fiction of Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, and Raymond Chandler, the study appreciates the postmodern aesthetics of the Coens' intertextual creativity."--Provided by publisher Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Blood Simple: 'It's the Same Old Song' 2. Raising Arizona: A State of Mind 3. Miller's Crossing: 'A Handsome Movie about Men in Hats' 4. Barton Fink: 'For the Common Man' 5. The Hudsucker Proxy: A Comedy of Reinvention 6. Fargo: In the Land of Tall Tales 7. The Big Lebowski: 'The Dude Abides' 8. O Brother, Where Art Thou?: The Hayseed Epic 9. The Man Who Wasn't There: Recreating Classic Film Noir 10. No Country for Old Men: Darkness in the New West 11. A Serious Man Conclusion: The Ends of the Auteur: Drawing Conclusions About Coen Brothers Movies Filmography Bibliography Index